WASHINGTON (NEWS10) – New York Congressmen Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) and John Katko (NY-24) announced legislation to increase tick-borne illness prevention and improve public health efforts.

The Tick Identification Pilot Program Act of 2017 would create a grant program under the CDC to allow states, like New York, to apply for grants to establish tick identification programs. A press release says tick identification programs would allow individuals to send pictures of ticks they encounter to a biologist.

“The American Lyme Disease Foundation supports this legislation. It is likely to provide useful information in the development of programs for the control of tick-borne diseases, especially in areas where such infections are endemic,” Philip Baker, Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, said.